Automatic telephone-exchange selector.



E. LOVERIDGB.' l AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE EXCHANGE SELECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 2, 1906. 93 ,0T/' Patented Aug. 17 1909.

5 SHBBTSQSHEET 1.

@26255651 jizz/62227871' f /fl I y n Federm/er@g Patented Aug. 17, 1909.'

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Zrederc F. H. LOVERIDGE.

AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE EXCHANGE SELECTORIv APPLmATIoN FILED AUG. 2. 190e. 93 1,072.

E'. BI. LBVERIDGE.

AUTOMATIG TELEEEGEE EXCHANGE SELECTOR.

APPLNATIOH FILED AUQ. 2, 19064 @S Patented Eug. 17, 1909.

5 BEBETE-BHEET 3.

1". H. LOVERIDGE. AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE EXCHANGE SELEGTOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 2, 1906. 93 1,072. Patented Aug. 1.7, i909. 5 SHEETS-SHEET 1L.

v F. H. LOVERIDGE.

AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE EXCHANGE SELECTOR.

' APPLICATION FILED AUG. 2, 190e.

93 1 ,072. Patented Aug. 17, 1909. 5 SHEETS-SHEET f ffy-f UNITED .STATES PATENT oEEicE.

FREDERICK H. LOVERIDCE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE-EXCHANGE SELECTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug'. 17, 1909.

l Application led August 2, 1906. Serial No. 328,834.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it `known that I, FREDERICK H. LOVER- iDeE, a citizen of thel United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State oif Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Automatic` Telephone-Exchange Selectors, of which the following i is a full, clear, concise, and exact description.

My invention relates to an automatic telephone exchange selector, and has for its object to provide an improved and etlicient machine for automatically effecting the interconnection of subscribers lines in an automatic exchange. i i

Generally speaking, my invention contemplates a selector having a number of rows of line terminals arranged in a plane field, together with av contact arm adapted to be rotated to selectI any one of said rows,l and to' be moved longitudinally to the desired terminal in the selected row.

A feature of my invention consists in the arrangement whereby the contact arm during its act of selecting a desired terminal,

remains free from engagement with all of said terminals, and the provision of means operated when the arm rests opposite the desired terminal, to move the same into connection therewith.

Another feature Aconsists in the provision of a bank of local contacts corresponding to said line terminals, said arm carrying line brushes for the line terminals, and a local brush for the local contacts, said local brush in the selecting movement of the arm trailing over the local contacts in its path.

Other' features consist in the details of construction to the hereinafter described.

I will describe my invention by reference tothe accompanying drawings, which represent the preferred embodiment thereof, reserving for the appended claims a statement of the part-s, improvements and combinations which I regard as novel with me.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a selector embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a front view of the same; Fig. 3 is a back view of the selector mechanism, the banks of contacts being removed; Fig. 4t is aside elevation, partially in section, with port-ions omitted for clearness, showing the retaining magnet energized; Fig. 5` is a detail vertical sectional View on line 5-5 of Fig. 7 Fig. 6 is a plan view of the selector rows of local and individual terminals G, 7,

respectively, corresponding to the line -terininals above, said terminals being insulated from each other, as shown. A vertical conl tact arm 8 is provided for said terminals, carrying'at its upper end a pair of insulated line brushes E), l0, adapted to engage the line termina-ls, said brushes normally lying below said bank L.A The arm S carries at its lower end a pair of insulated brushes Il, l2, lying below said bank 3, the brush 1I being the local brush adapted to engage the local terminals 6. Said brush Il is made long enough so that when moved over a vertical row of terminals to select a desired terminal therein, it will trail over the local terminals in its path. Thearm S is adapted to be rotated to select corresponding vertical rows in said terminal banks 2, 3. Said arm 8 is rotatably mounted upon a. vertically movable carriage 13 mounted upon guide rods lei, l5, carried by the frame of the selector, a rotatable shaft I6 being mounted in bearings formed by said carriage and an extension 17 thereof, and carrying said arm 8. A segmental rack 18 is secured to the shaft 16, said rack beingadapted to be engaged while the carriage is' in its normal position, by a stepping pawl 19 adapted to be operated by the armature Q0 of an electromagnetI 2l. Said pawl 19 is adapted to effect the rotation of arm 8 against the tension of a spring 22 surrounding the shaft IG and coimected between a hub 23 secured to the carriage and' a collar 24 secured to said shaft. The carriage 13 carries a rack bar 25 adapted to be engaged by a stepping pawl 2G operated by 45 ed to be operated by the'y armature/48 o to the carriage 13, and" provided with an pawl, however, carries a cross pm allow the retaining pawls arm 80 adapted to be normally engaged by a finger 31 carried by a rod mounted v ertically in thev frame of the selector, a spring 33 yengaging said rodto .force said finger against said'arm 30 of the retaining pawl 29. Said pawl is provided with a spring 34 adapted when the finger 31 is withdrawn to forceA said retaining pawl into engagement with the rack 1S. The rack bar 25 1s rovided with a retaining pawl 35 pivot. to the frame of the selector and carrying a. cross pin 3G adapted to be engaged by a spring 3T tending to force said retaining pawl into engagement with rack 25. Said 38 adapted to be engaged by a vertical projection mounted upon a horizontal rocking shaft 40. Said vshaft carries a' lug 41 adapted to beengaged by a finger 42 carried by said rod 32 to normally maintain the retaining pawl 35 away from the rack bar 25. The rod 32 is adapted to be dcpressedagainst the tension of spring 33 to withdraw fingers 31, 42, and 29, 35, to engage their respective racks, `bythe armature 43 of magnet 44, as-shown in Fig. 4. The arm S while undergoing its rotary and longitudinal movements, remains free ment with any of the terminals, brush 11, however, during the longitudinal movement preferably trailing over thelocal terminals-(3 in 'its path, or in the row selected. When the ann reaches a position with its brushes 9, 10, 12, opposite the desired terminals, thearm is arrangedto be' givena horizontal movement to v'cause said brushes to engage -the desired terminals. To this end, the rotary shaft 16 which carries the arm 8 is arranged to be'movable longitudinally in its bearings, said shaft when so' i A moved compressing the; spring 22. The

' shaft is arranged to be moved bv a presserbar 45 carried by arms 46,1246, oi a rocking shaft 47 supported by the .drame and adaptconnecting magnet 49. fThe. spring 22 is preferably made conical.I in shape, so as to A'separated from serve as the restoring force to return the arm 8 to normal position from both its rotary and horizontal movements? The sha-ft 16 supports an insulated wiper finger 50 moving W1th the arm 8 during its rotary travel, over a segmental anvil 51, said finger '50', howev.er, when the arm is given its horizontal or connecting movement, being its anvil 51. l

It will be observed that the tooth of the retainingpawl 29 is of considerable Width, sov that when the shaft 16 is lmoved longitudinally in the connecting movement of the arm, said engagement with the rack 1S.

y I preferably provide means -or locking the carriage 1 3 against movement while the lip '32, withdrmving fingers from engagethe local retaining pawl Willrremain inv rotate the contact arm Sf To this end- I pret- -erably provide a lip' 52 upon the base of the carriage 18 adapted while the armature 2U is operating to form, with an angular lug or finger 53 carried by said armature, a lock` for said carriage, said finger riding over said I preferablyprovide the armatures of the stepping ma ets with-.means whereby they will be rapi y retracted. Each of the ar matures of the stepping magnets carries a stift' lea:l springe-4 adapted as the armature completes its attractive movement to engage a stop 55, and be placed "under tension, so that said armatures, when their magnets are denergized, will be given a very .quick retractive movement. l

The operation of -said selector may lbe briefly described as follows; The first`A step' is the energization of magnet 44, the armature whereof, when attracted,- depresses rod 31, 42, and permitting spi-ings 34', 37, to move retaining pawls 29, 35,`into engagement `With racks 18,- 25, respectively. The -magnets21 is now energized to vibrate armature 20 and cause the stepping pawl 19 to rotate `rack 18l and* the Contact arm- S against the tension of spring '22, bringing thebrushes 9, 10, 11, 12, in line' `with the desired corresponding rows of terminals in the banks 2, 3. It will be understood `that the middle vertical rows in the banks 2, 3, will correspon in number, but that the first row to the le t. of the central row in the upper bank will have orits corresponding vrow in the lower bank the first. row vto the right of themiddle 'and so on, according to the displacement of the arm from its central or vertical position. The magnet.2S is now intermittently energized to cause pawl 26fto engage rack 25 and lift the carriage 13 to bring the brushes' of the arm 8 opposite the desired terminals in the selected rows. The connecting magnet 49 is. now energized to cause thefpresser bar 45 to move the shaft 1G longitudinally, compressing spring 22 and forcing the brushes on arm 8 .into en agement with the seleeted terminals'in saidanks 2, 3. 'lhen the magnets are de'energized, the spring 22 withdraws the arm 8 from the terminals, and the retaining pawls being withdrawn from the racks, the carriage 13. falls by gravity to normal position, and 'the spring 22 restores I claim:

"1. In -a selector, vthe combination with a series of rows of terminals, of a contact arm, a carriage upon which said arm is rotatably mounted, means for rotating said arm to select any one of said rows, and means for moving said carriage longitudinally -said arm to the desired terminal in said row.

2. In a selector, the ombination with a magnet 21 is operating stepping pawl 19 to i to bring f esima series of rows of terminals, of a contact arm, a rotatable shaft for said arm, a carriage for said shaft, a rack cari'ied by said shaft, an

electromagnetically operated stepping pawl for 'said rack adapted to rotate said 4arm to select one of said rows, a rack carried by said carriage, and an electi'oinagnetically ope lated stepping pawl for said rack adapted to move said carriage to bring said arm to the desired terminal in the selected row.

3. n a selector, the combination withv a series of rows of terminals, of a Contact arm, a rotatable shaft for said arm, a carriage for said shaft, a rack carried by said shaft, an electromagnetically-operated stepping pawl for said rack adapted to rotate said arm to select one of said rows,

a rack carried by said carriage, an electro-'i inagneti"ally-operated stepping pawl for `said rack adapted 'to move said carriage to 'bring said arm to the desired terminal in the selected row, retaining pawls for said racks, and an electromagnet controlling both of said pawls.I

i. ln a select-or, the combination with a series of vertical rows of terminals, of a contact arm, a carriage upon which said arm is mounted to rotate, vertical guide rods upon which carriage is adapted to move, means for rotating said arm to select one of said vertical rows of terminals, and means for moving said carriage upon said guide rods to bring said arm to the desired terminal in the selected row.

5. In a selector, the combination with a series of vertical rows of terminals, of a contact arm, a rotatable shaft for said arm," a carriage supporting said shaft, vertical guide rods upon which said carriage is adapted to move, a rack carried by said shaft, means for operating said raclvto ,rotate said arm in a vertical plane and select one of said rows, a vert-ical rack carried by said carriage, and means for operating said rack to lift said support and bring said arm to the desired terminal in the selected row, and means for restoring said carriage and arm to their normal positions.

(i. In a selector, the combination with line terminals, of a vertical, rotatable contact arm and vertically movable carriage therefor, racl-:s and stepping pawls formoving said arm and carriage, retaining pawls for said racks, means tending to move said retaining pawls into engagement with-said racks, mechanism normally maintaining said retaining pawls away from said racks, and a magnet adapted to withdraw said mechanism.

7. ln a selector, the combination with line terminals, of a rotatable contact arm and vertically movable carriage therefor, racks and stepping pawls for moving said arm and carriage, pivoted retaining pawls for said racks, springs tending to move said retaining pawls to engage said racks, a spring-actuated rod carrying fingers adapted normally to remove said 4retaining pawls va row of said terminals, means for moving said carriage to bring said arm opposite the desired terminal in said row, said aiin remaining away from said terminals, and means for moving saidshaft longitudinally to move said arm into engagement with the desired terminal, and to compress said spring, said spring being adapted to restore said arm from its rotary movement and said shaft fromits longitudinal movement, and means for restoring said carriage.

9. In a selector,v the combination with a number of rows of line terminals, of a contact arm therefor, a carriage, a rotatable shaft carrying said arm and mounted in bearings insaid carriage, a conical spring surrounding said shaft and connecting the saine to said carriage, means for rotating said arm against the tension of said spring to select any row of terminals, means for moving said carriage to bring said arm epposite the desired terminal in said row, said arm during its movement remaining away from said terminals, a magnet, a presser bar operated thereby for moving said shaft longitudinally to move said arm into engagement with said desired terminal and to compress said spring,`and means for restoring said carriage t0 normal position, said spring v restoring said' arm and shaft.

l0. In a selector, the combination with line terminals, of a rotary contact arm adapted to select a terminal, said 'arm normally and during selection being out of engagement with said terminals, a wiper finger carried by said arm, a segmental anvil there* for, said finger during the rotation of said Contact arm wiping over said anvil, and means for moving` said arm bodily to engage the desired terminal, said inger in such movement being separated from its anvil.

11. ln a selector, the combination with two groups of terminals, of a contact arm carrying contact brushes for said groups,`

' ends for said groups,means for rotating said for said local terminals,

arm carrying contact brushes, means for ro# tating said arm to select any rov.7 of said terminals, and means for moving said arm longitudinally t0 bring said. brushes to the desired terminals in said roW, one of said brushes during such longitudinal movement ofsaid arm trailing over the terminals inthe selected row.

13. In a selector, the con'ibination with two groups ofterniinals, of a Contact arm pivoted betneeirsaid groups of terminals, said arm carrying contact brushes at its arm to select a row in each group of terminals, and means for moving said arm longitudinally to the desired terminals in said rows, one of said brushes during the Alongitudinal movement of the arm trailing over ing thereto, and means tical contact arm carrying at its ends,

the terminals in its selected'row.

14. In a selector, the combination with "a. number of rows of lineterminals, of a cor responding number of rows of local 'terminals, a contact arm pivotally mounted between said rows, said arm carrying at one end line brushes for said first mentioned line g terminals, and at the other end a. local brush means for rotating i said arm to select a row of line terminals l :ndv the row of local terminals correspondl ,esima longitudinally to the desired terminals in vsaid rows, said local brush in such movement trailing over the local terminals in its path.

15. In aselector, two vertical groups of terminals, of averbelow said groups, brushes therefor, means for ro- 'rating said arm in a Vertical planete select rows of said groups, and'means orliffting said arm to bring said brushes to sired terminals in the selected rows.

1G. In' a selector, the vcombination with a longitudinally movable carriage,

of a contact arm, a rotatable shaft carrying said arm and mounted 1n bearings in said carriage, a

segmentalkrack carried -by said shaft, a magnet, an armature therefor, a pawl operated byfsaid armature adapted to engage said rack,a lip carried by said carriage, a finger carried by said-armatura adapted during `the operation thereof to cooperate with said lip to lock said carriage against move-ment.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribev my name this th day FREDERICK lVitnesses: C. A. CoeGINs,

Roi' T. .'XLLOWAY.

of July, A. D. 1906. H. LOVERIDGE:

for moving said .armv

the de-l the combination -With' 

